If we plant it, they will come: Portland Monarchs and Portland Parks & Recreation

At Pittock Mansion's eastern viewpoint, a slope once tangled in ivy and blackberry now fills with native, nectar-rich plants and flowers. It's small, a little hidden, resting below one of the city's most visited views. Butterfly lovers know the spot well. Each season, they return to clear what crowds the ground and plant what brings life back.

View full size image of Native milkweed and wildflowers grow on the restored hillside beneath Pittock Mansion’s eastern viewpoint.

Three years ago, the hillside was thick with invasive plants. Today it's home to the new monarch habitat, a sanctuary that supports endangered butterflies and other pollinators. The space is planted with native species, including milkweed, the only plant monarch caterpillars can eat. Creating and maintaining more habitats is one of the most effective ways to help butterfly populations recover.

The partnership between Portland Parks & Recreation and Portland Monarchs began with a shared belief that even one hillside can make a difference. Over time, volunteers have pulled invasives, planted natives, and built a living example of how care multiplies. This effort, known as Monarchs at the Mansion, now provides food, shelter, and cover for monarchs, birds, bees, and other small wildlife.

Portland Monarchs founder Ida Galash often says, "If we plant it, they will come." It's simple, but it captures the meaning behind this space. Each milkweed and late-blooming flower supports the long migration of the resilient black-and-orange winged travelers. In fall they journey south, in spring they return.

View full size image of A monarch butterfly rests on a showy milkweed flower, its orange and black wings spread open against green foliage.

Monarchs migrate south each year to escape cold weather and find the warmth they need to survive winter. Western monarchs gather in groves along California's coast, while their eastern relatives spend winter in the mountains of central Mexico. In Mexico, their arrival around November 1 and 2 aligns with Día de los Muertos, when monarchs are sometimes seen as symbols of returning ancestors. The butterflies follow the same invisible map that has guided them for centuries.

Fall is planning season, a time to get the garden ready for what comes next. Volunteers remove weeds, shape planting areas, and prepare the ground for another cycle of growth where beauty and purpose come together. The monarch habitat at Pittock Mansion is proof that care, even at a small scale, can lead to breathtaking transformation.

The work goes on.